How to apply for Supply Chain Lead - China

About Fuse Energy

Fuse Energy is a startup building a fully integrated energy company, from solar and battery projects to hardware and real-time power trading. It has raised over $200M from investors like Balderton, Accel, and Lakestar, plus angels such as Nico Rosberg. The goal is to make energy abundant and affordable by selling directly to consumers and cutting out the middleman.

About the role

As the founding team member in China, you will build the supply chain function from zero and manage local operations. You will work directly with both co-founders to architect the supplier and purchasing footprint, and negotiate with top-tier OEMs, ODMs, and hardware manufacturers. This role is critical for securing the global supply chain that supports Fuse's integrated energy products.

A typical day

You might start with a call with co-founders to align on priorities, then spend time sourcing or negotiating with a new OEM. Later, you could review technical specs with engineering or visit a supplier facility. Since this is a remote founding role, you will manage your own schedule and coordinate across time zones.

Who Fuse Energy is looking for

• Has deep technical acumen in energy hardware, solar, batteries, or related manufacturing, with experience negotiating directly with OEMs and ODMs in China.
• Is a first-principles operator who can build processes from scratch and align them with a global business.
• Has a track record of end-to-end supply chain ownership, from supplier discovery to contract negotiation and delivery.
• Is comfortable working remotely and independently as a founding team member in China, coordinating closely with co-founders in other time zones.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific examples of building a supply chain function from 0 to 1, including initial supplier sourcing and contract terms you negotiated.
• Name the exact OEMs, ODMs, or hardware manufacturers you have worked with in China and the products involved (e.g., solar, batteries, grid hardware).
• Explain how you apply first-principles thinking to supply chain decisions, such as make-vs-buy analysis or supplier selection criteria.
• Show familiarity with Fuse Energy's integrated model by referencing their solar, battery, hardware, and trading activities in your application.
• Emphasize your ability to work remotely and autonomously, since this is a remote role and you will be the founding member in China.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your experience building a supply chain function from scratch in China, with concrete outcomes.', 'Direct negotiation experience with top-tier OEMs, ODMs, and hardware manufacturers, including specific names and deal sizes.', 'How you align local supply chain operations with a global business strategy, especially in energy or hardware.', 'Why you want to join a startup at this stage and work directly with co-founders to launch local operations.']

Research before applying

• Study Fuse Energy's product lines: solar, batteries, grid infrastructure, hardware, and real-time power trading. Understand how supply chain supports each.
• Review the backgrounds of the co-founders and investors (Balderton, Lakestar, Accel, etc.) to understand the company's stage and strategic priorities.
• Research the current landscape of Chinese OEMs and ODMs in renewable energy hardware, including pricing trends and lead times.
• Look into Fuse Energy's public statements or interviews about their integrated model and expansion plans to understand how China fits in.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk us through how you would build Fuse Energy's supply chain in China from zero, including first steps and key milestones.
• Describe a time you negotiated a critical contract with an OEM or ODM. What was the outcome and what did you learn?
• How do you apply first-principles thinking to supply chain decisions? Give a specific example.
• What are the biggest risks in securing a global supply chain for solar, batteries, and hardware from China, and how would you mitigate them?
• How would you work with co-founders based outside China to keep supply chain strategy aligned with global business goals?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Being vague about your supplier network or unable to name specific OEMs, ODMs, or manufacturers you have worked with in China.
• Focusing only on cost reduction without showing how you balance quality, lead times, and technical requirements.
• Not demonstrating an understanding of Fuse Energy's integrated model or how supply chain enables their direct-to-consumer energy business.